The iLuv Gelato case for iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S is a flexible hard gel case that comes in many color options. It's form fitting for the iPhone 4/4S and keeps the phone functional while in the case. The case protects the iPhone from scratches, bumps and nicks by keys, pens and other pointy objects in your bag or backpack, and it's light and slim.

Design

The iLuv Gelato Case for iPhone 4S comes in delicious colors including yellow, pink, blue, gray, white and black. Some colors look more translucent like gray, white and blue; other colors look more opaque like black, yellow and pink. The iLuv Gelato case is made with hard silicone gel material that has some flexibility yet keeps its shape very well. It's easy to put the case on or take it off. The surface of the case isn't very polished and is quite grippy which helps handle the phone better. The case has just the right thickness to effectively protect the iPhone 4S from scratches and pokes, but not too thick to create too much bulk.

The iLuv Gelato case covers the back and all sides of the iPhone 4S, and the case wraps around and covers the front edges of the display. The hard silicone feels protective, and can certainly hold the iPhone 4S off any flat surface when you rest the phone face down. The case is light, weighing 0.8 ounces.

Features

As with other iLuv iPhone cases, the Gelato case has cutouts for audio and sync ports. The case has a long cutout on the bottom to expose the 30-pin connector, bottom mic and speaker. The top cutout aligns with the audio out jack and the top mic perfectly. The case does have some thickness, and as long as you are not using a headset with 90-degree angle between the plug and wire, you should have no trouble using the 3.5mm audio jack while the phone is in the case. The side cutout accommodates both AT&T and Verizon versions of the iPhone 4 for its silence button, and the oval cutout on the back exposes the rear camera and flash for easy access. The power button and volume button live under the silicone cover, but there are raised button covers that make it very easy to use these buttons. In fact, they might have made it a bit too easy to press these covered buttons, that if you put the phone in a tight jeans pocket, you might accidently press one of these buttons.

The long bottom cutout gives you access to the sync/charge port easily. You will have no trouble using sync/charge cables and most audio accessories. As the case adds a bit of thickness, the phone might not fit docking stations and speakers/alarm clocks with very tight space or short connector. We tested it on some of our alarm clocks and docking stations, the phone worked with all of them in this case. While the case protects the back, sides and corners of the iPhone 4S, it doesn't come with any film protector for the front.

Conclusion

The iLuv Gelato flexible case is a good choice if you are looking for a gel case that keeps shape very well and is easy to use. The case has a grippy surface, nice thickness and a form fitting cut. It has perfect cutouts for ports and buttons on the iPhone 4S, and we love the color options and the affordable price. You will need to buy your own screen protector if you want to provide some protection for the screen, and be careful with the raised buttons if you put the phone in tight pockets.